Echter's Plant Finder

Other Names:  San Diego Red Bougainvillea

Brand:  Monrovia

Description:

Bright scarlet red bracts contrast glossy, dark green foliage on this beautiful evergreen vine; vigorous and fast growing, perfect for training up arbors and fences or supported in containers; adaptable as a houseplant; drought tolerant once established

Ornamental Features

Scarlett O'Hara Bougainvillea is bathed in stunning scarlet round flowers held atop the branches from late spring to mid fall. Its glossy pointy leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Scarlett O'Hara Bougainvillea is a multi-stemmed annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Scarlett O'Hara Bougainvillea is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Scarlett O'Hara Bougainvillea will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. As a climbing vine, it should either be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Scarlett O'Hara Bougainvillea is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.